Fitly Framed / Growing / Holy

Driving home: Symmetry has reference to the interrelation of parts to form an aesthetically pleasing whole. It implies correspondence in the form, size, and arrangement of the various parts.

The analogy of a weightlifter with great strength but poor symmetry, or vice versa, illustrates that symmetry is about the pleasing interrelation and proportion of parts, not just individual size or strength.

Now what does the word symmetrical mean? And I told my wife driving over, or she was driving me over here today, I wasn't satisfied with my heading, but it's the best I could come up with. And this is the reason why. Symmetry has reference to the interrelation of parts to form an aesthetically pleasing whole.

10:38 - 10:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Symmetry has reference to the interrelation of parts to form an aesthetically pleasing whole. It implies correspondence in the form, size, and arrangement of the various parts.

The example of an arm sticking out of the middle of a chest illustrates what it means for a body part to not be 'fitly framed' to the rest of the body, emphasizing proper placement and relationship.

From whom all the body, here's our word again, fitly framed. Now I believe we can arrive at the meaning of the word in chapter 2 by means of a digression into chapter 4. Now what is a fitly framed together body? Well it's a body in which the arm is right where it's supposed to be.

12:48 - 13:11 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Symmetry has reference to the interrelation of parts to form an aesthetically pleasing whole. It implies correspondence in the form, size, and arrangement of the various parts.

The process of a stone mason chipping and refitting a stone until it perfectly suits its spot in a building illustrates how God 'fitly frames' individual believers into the spiritual temple.

Now Paul uses the same word here. In this spiritual temple, the first characteristic that strikes us is the beauty of its symmetry. Every stone is fitly framed into the edifice. And it's the picture of the stone mason making his building.

13:57 - 14:16 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But thank God the apostle is not bound by his analogy. He bends the analogy to the reality. And the reality is that when God fits us into the temple He continues that work so that more and more we are perfectly fitted to…

The metaphor of 'flint on steel' describes the initial friction and problems when God first started fitting Jew and Gentile 'stones' together in the same temple, highlighting their ancient antipathy.

Think of what an amazing thing this was. When He took Jew stones and Gentile stones and God first started fitting them together in the same temple I tell you it was like flint on steel. Right? Tremendous problems.

16:38 - 16:54 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth. Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth.

The metaphor of a teacup dropped on the floor illustrates that error is often 'fragmented truth' or truth wrenched from its essential relationships to other truths.

But for reproof for correction that's what you're going to get in the next 10 or 15 minutes. I see in this text a most helpful corrective to two fundamental errors. You see error is often nothing more than fragmented truth. Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth.

29:09 - 29:31 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth. Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth.

The metaphor of an arm cut off at the shoulder further illustrates error as a part of truth separated from the whole, becoming lifeless and useless.

If the truth is looked upon as a teacup error is the pieces of the teacup when you've dropped it on the floor. Error is often fragmented truth. Or to state it a bit differently error is often truth wrenched from its essential relationships to other truths. Error is an arm cut off at the shoulder.

29:31 - 29:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth. Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth.

Offering free hamburgers to attract people to church is given as an example of unbiblical methods used by those who believe visible growth must be obtained at all costs.

And you know there are people committed to that error in our day. It finds expression in many ways. For some it means any method is legitimate if it will increase the size of the church. So if you bait people to church by offering free hamburgers well let hamburgers serve King Jesus.

30:39 - 31:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth. Error is often nothing more than fragmented truth.

Imitating the world's entertainment forms and using 'cheap jokes' to titillate people are examples of compromising methods to swell church ranks, driven by the 'growth at all costs' error.

On with the hamburgers. And if you don't want to have hamburgers in your home you can have on with the hamburgers up with the church. If you need to titillate people to get them into the church by imitating the world in its entertainment forms in its suave slick self-confident peddlers of cheap jokes then parade them across your platforms but get them in. The only thing that matters is swell the ranks the methods a matter of indifference.

31:01 - 31:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Correct the error that visible growth in the church is to be desired and obtained at all costs, recognizing that true growth must be accompanied by symmetry and holiness.

Altering the gospel message by avoiding terms like 'deceitful and desperately wicked heart' or 'wrath of God' is an example of making the message more palatable to achieve growth at any cost.

Others say well you see we have the heart of the message given in the Bible but it doesn't matter with what we surround that heart. We want to keep Jesus and the cross. We must never do away with Jesus and the cross. But we can as it were round off some of the right angles the offense of the gospel.

31:35 - 31:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Correct the error that visible growth in the church is to be desired and obtained at all costs, recognizing that true growth must be accompanied by symmetry and holiness.

Martin recounts hearing a preacher say he'd rather have 'a hundred people in heaven who just make it by the skin of their teeth than ten people who enter heaven full grown in Christ,' illustrating the 'growth at all costs' mentality that disregards holiness.

Why? Because you see growth in the church is to be desired and obtained at all costs. Methodology in content I've actually heard men say and preaching to other preachers encouraging them to imbibe this mentality I heard one preacher say I have a hundred people in heaven who just make it by the skin of their teeth than ten people who enter heaven full grown in Christ. See what he was saying?

32:22 - 32:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Correct the error that visible growth in the church is to be desired and obtained at all costs, recognizing that true growth must be accompanied by symmetry and holiness.

The phrase 'stuck on the side of the building with a little bit of the epoxy of decisionism' is a critical metaphor for superficial church membership obtained through easy-believism, lacking true integration and growth in holiness.

In other words I'm not concerned about holiness I'm not concerned if those that profess the name of Christ are part of that symmetrical building integrated into the self withering flesh withering intimacy just so long as they're somehow stuck somewhere at any angle in the building. I'm not concerned that they grow intensively or that they grow in holiness just get them somehow stuck on the side of the building with a little bit of the epoxy of decisionism. Growth is to be desired and obtained

32:52 - 33:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Correct the error that visible growth in the church is not to be sought but feared because of its inherent dangers, recognizing that God adds to a holy people.

The story of Ananias and Sapphira's death is used to illustrate that the early church's holiness created a reverent fear, where 'no man dared join himself to them' without genuine conversion, yet the Lord still added to their number.

But with that you will also read, And fear came upon them all, and no man dared join himself to them. They were such a holy bunch that word got around, If you dare to lie while you're part of them, God may kill you.

37:30 - 37:48 Read in full sermon

Driving home: They knew that the God who dwelt in that living temple of saints was a consuming fire. And yet the scripture says the Lord added to them.

Martin shares his personal fear that church growth would lead to losing the 'fitly framed life' and 'shared life' of the assembly, which God corrected by reminding him of passages in Acts showing growth alongside unity and holiness.

One heart, one soul. You know that's the text God used to shake the last vestiges of heaven. You know that's the text God used to shake the last vestiges of heaven. I have a fear out of my system concerning growth.

38:41 - 38:49 Read in full sermon